Best marathon: 2:23:57 (2007, St. George). Won the Top of Utah Marathon twice (2003,2004). Won the USATF LDR circuit in Utah in 2006.

Draper Days 5 K 15:37 (2004)

Did not know this until June 2012, but it turned out that I've been running with spina bifida occulta in L-4 vertebra my entire life, which explains the odd looking form, struggles with the top end speed, and the poor running economy (cannot break 16:00 in 5 K without pushing the VO2 max past 75).

Short-Term Running Goals:

Qualify for the US Olympic Trials. With the standard of 2:19 on courses with the elevation drop not exceeding 450 feet this is impossible unless I find an uncanny way to compensate for the L-4 defect with my muscles. But I believe in miracles.

Long-Term Running Goals:

2:08 in the marathon. Become a world-class marathoner. This is impossible unless I find a way to fill the hole in L-4 and make it act healthy either by growing the bone or by inserting something artificial that is as good as the bone without breaking anything important around it. Science does not know how to do that yet, so it will take a miracle. But I believe in miracles.

Personal:

I was born in 1973. Grew up in Moscow, Russia. Started running in 1984 and so far have never missed more than 3 consecutive days. Joined the LDS Church in 1992, and came to Provo, Utah in 1993 to attend BYU. Served an LDS mission from 1994-96 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Got married soon after I got back. My wife Sarah and I are parents of nine children: Benjamin, Jenny, Julia, Joseph, Jacob, William, Stephen, Matthew, Mary, and Bella. We home school our children.

I am a software engineer/computer programmer/hacker whatever you want to call it, and I am currently working for RedX. Aside from the Fast Running Blog, I have another project to create a device that is a good friend for a fast runner. I called it Fast Running Friend.

Favorite Quote:

...if we are to have faith like Enoch and Elijah we must believe what they believed, know what they knew, and live as they lived.

Did 7.5 tempo with Benjamin again - 2.5 down, 2.5 up, 2.5 down. The weather was better - very warm for this time of year, 60 F. We ran in shorts. He paced me for the first 5 miles, then took of. My splits were 14:32, 15:27, 14:30 - total of 44:29. Benjamin's last 2.5 was 12:46, 5:06 pace - total time 42:45. I was happy that I improved my time from last week by 1:10, and that I held together on the uphill - 15:27 vs 16:07. It really helped to wear shorts, have virtually no wind, and have Benjamin pace me.

Kids ran their usual distances, but there was some speed. Jacob ran 5:48 mile with me and Benjamin in the tempo. Jenny ran the first 0.5 in 2:55. We also went the track - Matthew ran 400 in 2:06 without holding the hand. His splits were 25, 29, 37, 35. He was doing exceptionally well for the first 200, but then got tired and lost the motivation. We were able to talk him into finishing, though, and he got a record, for which he earned a garbage truck.

Then I did 100 meter sprints with Jacob (15.2), William(17.8), and Stephen(20.6) - I believe all of those times are their PRs, if not pretty close. I was able to keep up with Jacob - barely.

Benjamin did total of a bit more than 10, I was around 13.

Leg 1:Distance1.050Time9:01.30Pace8:35.52

Warm-up.

Leg 2:Distance7.500Time44:29.00Pace5:55.87

Tempo - 2.5 down, 2.5 up, 2.5 down.

Leg 3:Distance2.000Time17:46.40Pace8:53.20

Cool-down.

Leg 4:Distance0.248Time2:06.30Pace8:29.27

With Matthew, no hand.

Leg 5:Distance0.248Time2:12.90Pace8:55.89

With Matthew, holding the hand.

Leg 6:Distance0.062Time0:20.60Pace5:32.26

With Stephen.

Leg 7:Distance0.062Time0:15.20Pace4:05.16

With Jacob.

Leg 8:Distance0.062Time0:17.80Pace4:47.10

With William.

Leg 9:Distance2.040Time17:15.70Pace8:27.70

With William.

Camouflage Crocs 1 Miles: 13.27

Night Sleep Time: 0.00

Nap Time: 0.00

Total Sleep Time: 0.00

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